Can filling machine



Oct. 17, 1939. c, AYARs 2,176,449

cm FILLING MACHINE 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "9 INVENTOR 478mm ES H. HRS, 97 BY T RNEY Oct. 17, 1939. I c, AYARs 2,175,449

CAN FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORCHnRLEsHfl Cc t. 17, 1939. c, AYARS 2,176,449

CAN FILLING MACHINE iNVENTC JR (PH/M555 H. R5.

. T ORNEY Patented a. 11, 1939 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE Gharles' H.Ayars, Salem, N. 1., assignor to Ara-rs 0 C mpany.

Salem, N. 1., a corporation, of New Jersey Application August 1, less,Serlal No. 222,426

' so Claims. (01. 226-96) This invention relates to can fillingmachines, and has particular reference to amachine for filling cans withvegetables and the like of such consistency that the material does notreadily fall by gravity from the cups into the cans, but

must be mechanically'assisted.

The object of the present invention. is to provide a machine for fillingcans with cut vegetables, broken grain corn and the like, which re- 0quires-assistance from the source of supply into the measuring cups andfrom said measuring cups into the cans to be filled therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the abovetype in which the cups are.

25 wiping the material from said hopper into said cups, and plungersadapted to pass through said cups to eject the material from said cupsinto said cans, said plungers being adapted to be raised from said cupsand to pass over said cir- 0 cular hopper member when their respectivecups are being filled with material to be deposited. The plungers areprovided with means for insuring alignment with their respective cups.Th circular hopper member has a crescent shaped 5 hopper body whoseinner concave wall is of substantially the same radius as theperipheries of the turrets. The members for wiping the material from thecircular'hopper member into the adjustable pockets may compriseoppositely rotat- 40 ing blades operating at different speeds, and maybe driven by gear mechanism associated with the mechanism for drivingthe shaft. The machine may be provided with means for elevating thecups, plungers and hopper without disturbing the 45 lower part of themachine.

The drawings illustrate an embodimentof the invention, and the viewstherein are as follows:

Figure l is a top plan view of the machine with the can feedingmechanism broken away,

50 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a small detail view showing the gear arrangement for drivingthe blades in the cir- 55 cular hopper. member.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the hopper showing the extensions forsealing the cups against excessive fill,

Figure 6 is an end view of the hopper, and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the 5 line of Figure ,6.

' As illustrated, the central shaft II has a lower sleev'e l2, and tothe lower part of this lower sleeve is a. fixed hub, I3 of a bevel gearl4. This bevel gear is meshed by a bevel pinion IS on the 10 shaft H,which said shaft is provided with a pulley l8 belt driving the machine,but the shaft I! may be driven by any other means desired. The bottomend of this shaft extends through a bearing IQ of a bracket 2!, whileaflixed to this bracket is a stirrup 22 having a screw threaded hole 23through which the screw 24 extends and abuts the lower end of said shaftII. The screw 24 is provided with a hand wheel 26, the purpose of whichis-later explained.

The bevel gear l4 has aiiixed thereto by bolts 21 a ring gear 28 and thehub 29 of this ring gear is fastened to the sleeve l2 by set screws 3|.Above the hub of the ring gear 28 is a table 32 for supporting cans A'i'or filling, and this table may be held in the frame "F either fixedlyor adjustably. This table 32 has a hub member 33 surrounding the sleeveI2 and slidable thereon. Above the table 33 is a star wheel 34, whichhas a hub 32 secured to the sleeve l2 by set screws 31. Above the starwheel 34 is the pocket or turret plate 38, which is secured to thesleeve H by set screws 39, so that this plate also rotates with the starwheel 34, and with the cooperating lower and upper turret members 4| and42 respectively.

These members have upward and downward depending circular flange members43 and respectively, the upper being adapted to slidably fit within thelower, so as to provide telescopic measuring cups 46 for receiving andmeasuring mate- 4o rial from the hopper 41. The lower turret member 4|has set screws 48 in its upwardly extending central flange member 49,which said set screws engage the sleeve I2, whereby the said lowerturret will rotate with said sleeve, and since the depending circularflange members 44 of the upper turret 42 are engaged within the upwardlyextending flange members 43 of the lower turret 4|, said upper turretwill ipso facto rotate with the lower turret. The upper turret 42 has a50 depending flange 5| which is fastened to an outer sleeve 52 by setscrews 53. This outer sleeve 52 extends upward to a point above theinner I sleeve l2 and nearly to the top of the shaft H, and fits overthe reduced shoulder 54 of the plug 66 at a position removed from wherethe circular hopper member 61 extends over the upper turret 42 for thepurpose of permitting the descending plungers II to eject the materialfrom the pockets 46 .into the cans A.

The sleeve 52 is provided with a lower bearing plate SI and upperbearing plate 62, the former of which has its upwardly extending sleeve63 secured to the sleeve 52 by set screws 64, while the upper plate hasits depending sleeve 66 secured to the sleeve 62 by set screws 61, sothat said bearing plates rotate .with the shaft II and sleeve 52. Thelower bearing plate has a series of concentrically located bearings 66which house hollow plunger rods 69 secured to and extending up from theplungers II. These bearings 66, hollow rods 69 and plungers II are, ofcourse, equal in number to the measuring pockets 46, and are locatedaccurately above the same.

The upper bearing bracket 62 has a plurality of outer housings 12 forsecuring the upper ends of rods I3 by means of pins I4. The lower endsof these rods extend within the hollow plunger rods 69, and in depth thefull length of the bearings 66. The bearing plates 6| and 62 have innerrings of housings I6 and I1 which house" rods 18 secured by means ofpins I6. Mounted on the frame F is a track 6I which has a complementarydepressing rail 62. I6 and 69 has a bracket 63 which is slidably mountedon the rod I6 and secured to the upper end of the hollow plunger rod 69by the set screw 64. Each of these brackets carry a roller 66 whichoperatesbetween the track 6I and below the complementary depressing rail62. These brackets, maintained positively radial by virtue of the rodsI6 and I3 insure the plunger entering the pocket 46 on its downwardstroke. The upper turret member 42 has a circular hopper member 61cooperating therewith at one side of the machine. This circular hoppermember is so arranged that it extends in part over a plurality of theopen topped measuring cups 46. This hopper member is provided with anupper flange 66 to which is secured the hopper body 69. The hopper bodyhere shown is substantially crescent shaped, and is provided with aconcave wall 9| whose radius is substantially the same as the peripheralradius of the turret casting 42; the lower part of the wall 9| extendingat right angles to form a cover 92 for that part of the circular hoppermember 61 which extends over the turret. At each end of that part of thehopper member which extends over the open topped cups 46, are flatextensions 93 which cover the opening of the cups as the same passthereunder to prevent material from the circular hopper member passinginto the cups and out through the outside of said member. The circularhopper member 6'! has a series of blades 94 mounted on an annular collar96, the collar having ribs 91 fastened to a hub 96 which is secured to ashaft ,99 by set screw I6I. Figure 3 shows six of the blades 94. Theblade has an upper overhanging part I62 under which the underslung partsI63 of the blades I64 pass, and these latter blades are secured on acollar I66, and fastened by a set-screw I6'I to a sleeve Each radialpair of rods- I66 fitting slidably around the shaft 99. The bottom ofthe circular hopper member 61 provides a bearing I69 for the shaft 99and sleeve I66, while a bearing III in the can supporting plate32 alsohouses these members which extend down- 5 war'dly therefrom, the sleeveI66 being provided with an elongated gear II2 meshing with the gear 26.

The bottom of the shaft 99 is provided with a gear II3 which meshes withan elongated gear 19 sleeve I66. By this means, the blades I64 which, 20

as shown in Figure 3, are three in number, will rotate in a directionopposite to the direction of rotation of the blades 94 and atconsiderable greater speed.

In Figure 1 there is shown a liquid dispensing g5 device II9, the potI2I having the rotati'ngpart I22 is identical with the liquid dispensingdevice shown and described in my co-pending United States applicationSerial No. 110,053, filed NovemberlO, 1936. In the machine herein, thisdevice has been placed in a larger tank equipped with a float valve I23.The rotary measuring'element I22 is rotated from a worm I24 on the feedshaft I26.

In this machine, I have deemed it unnecessary 35 to show a can" feedingdevice, but a can feeding, device, such as that shown in my co-pendingUnited States application Serial No. 188,825, filed February 5, 1938,may be employed.

It is also my intention to equip this machinelio with a no can, no filldevice, and this device may be incorporated to switch the roller 66 atits high position, such as shown to the right in Figure 2, when the canwhich is to be filled by the plunger cooperating with theparticularroller 45 is missing from the feed device. This will require slightmodification from the design which is explained in the co-pendingapplication last referred to scribed, the shaft II, being rotated fromany suitable scurce of power, such for instance as the pulley I6, thebevel gear I6 will drive the bevel faced gear I4, and since the ringgear 26 is fastened to said face gear, and also fastened to the 55sleeve I2,'the bevel gear 26 and sleeve I2 will be rotated. The rotationof the sleeve I2 rotates the star whee134 which moves the cans on thetable 32 keeping them aligned with the bottoms of the pockets 46.

Assuming that the turrets H and 42 have been adjusted to provide theproper capacity in the cups 46, thesepockets pass under the circularhopper member 81 which has the oppositely rotating blades 94 and I 64therein so that the 65 material from said hopper is swept or wiped intothe pockets 46 by virtue of these blades. The turret members,'of course,move in unison with the star wheel 34, and the turret base plate 36,

so that the outer sleeve 52is rotated, and the 70 rollers 66 on thetrack 6I and depressing rail 62 operate the plungers to raise them abovethe extension on the circular hopper member 61 when passing over thesame, and are lowered to eject the material from the pockets through thedis- 76 gear H3 5 In the operation of the apparatus herein de- 50 theyare taken to be capped.

.into the cans A;

The machine operates in' the direction of the arrow "Z", Figure 1, andthe cans are removed from beneath'the turrets onto the table I21 bymeans of .the star wheel ill from which table Of course the fillingmachine illustrated and described herein may be modified in various wayswithout departing from the invention herein I set forth and hereafterclaimed.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A receptacle filling machine having'rotary open top measuring cups, ahopper for supplying material to said cups for deposit into receptacles,said hopper havingva chamber extending in part over a plurality of saidcups, and means in said chamber for wiping material from said hopperinto said cups.

2. A receptacle filling machine having rotary open top measuring cups, ahopper for supplying material to said cups for deposit into receptacles,said hopper having a chamber extending in part over a plurality of saidcups, means in said chamber for wiping material from said hopper intosaid cups, and means for expelling the material from said cups intoreceptacles. l

3. A receptacle filling machine having rotary open top measuring cups, ahopper for supplying material to said cups for deposit into receptacles,said hopper having a chamber extending in part over a plurality of saidcups, and rotary means in said chamber for wiping material from saidhopper into said cups.

4. A receptacle filling machine having rotary open top measuring cups, ahopper for supplying material 'to said cups for deposit intoreceptacles, said hopper having a chamber extending in part over aplurality of said cups, rotary means in said chamber for wiping materialfrom said hopper into said cups, and means for expelling the materialfrom said cups into receptacles.

5. A receptacle filling machine having rotary open top measuring cups, ahopper for supplying material to said cups for deposit into receptacles,

-said hopper having a chamber extending in part over a plurality of saidcups,.and rotary means having its axis parallel with the axis ofrotation of said cups in said chamber for wiping material from saidhopper into said cups.

6. A receptacle filling machine having rotary open top measuring cups, ahopper for supplying material to said cups for depositinto receptacles,

said hopper having a chamber extending in part" over a plurality of saidcups, rotary means having its axis parallel with the axis of rotation ofsaid cups in said chamber for wiping material from said hopper into saidcups, and means for expelling the material from said cups into recep-.tacles.

7. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets having open toptelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating thecapacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans,said hopper having a chamber extending in part'over a plurality of saidopen top cups, rotary means in said chamber for wiping material fromsaid hopper into said cups, and means for expelling said material fromsaid cups into cans.

8. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets having open toptelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating thecapacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans,said hopper having a cham- 3 r. ber' ex'tending in part over a pluralityof said v open top cups, rotary'means in said chamber for wipingmaterial from said hopper into said cups,

. and reciprocating plungers for expelling said material from saidcups-into cans. 9. A receptacle filling machine having rota open topmeasuring cups, a hopper forsupplying material to said cups for depositinto receptacles, said hopper having a chamber extending in part over aplurality of said cups, and oppositely rotatingblades in said chamberfor wiping material from said hopper into said cups.

10. A receptacle filling machine having rotary open top measuring cups,a hopper for supplying material to said cups for deposit intoreceptacles, said hopper having a chamber extending in part over aplurality of said cups, oppositely rotating blades in said chamber forwiping material from said hopper into said cups, and means for expellingthe material from said cups into receptacles.

11.'A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets having opentop telescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulatingthe capacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited intocans, said hopper having a circular bottom chamber extending in partover a plurality of said open top cups, rotary means in said circularchamber for wiping material from said hopper into said cups, and meansfor expelling said material from said cups into cans.

12. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets having opentop telescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulatingthe capacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited intocans, said hopper having a circular bottom chamber extending in partover a plurality of said open top cups, rotary means in said circularchamber for wiping material from said hopper into said cups. andreciprocating plungers for expelling said material from said cups intocans.

13. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets having opentop telescoping cups,

means associated with said shaft for regulating the capacity of saidcups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans, said hopperhaving a circular bottom chamber extending in part over a plurality ofsaid open top cups, oppositely rotating means in said circular chamberfor wiping,

material from said hopper into said cups, and means for expelling saidmaterial from said cups into cans.

14. A can filling machine having a central and reciprocating plungersfor expelling said ma-' terial from said cups into cans.

15. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets having opentop telescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulatingthe capacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited intocans, said hopper having a circular bottom chamber extending in partover a plurality of said open top cups, oppositely rotating blades insaid circular chamber for wiping material from said hopper into saidcups, and means for expelling said material from said cups into cans.

means associated with said shaft for regulating the capacity ofsaidcups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans, said hopperhaving'a circular bottom chamber extending in part over a plurality ofsaid open top cups, oppositely rotating blades in said circular chamberfor wiping rial from said cups into cans.

material from said hopper into said cups, and reciprocating plungers forexpelling said mate- 17. A can filling machine having a central shaft,turrets having telescoping cups, means associated with said shaft forregulating the capacity of said cups, a hopper for material to bedeposited into cans, said hopper having a circular bottom chamberextending in part over a plurality of said open top cups, said extendedpart having a cover, and reciprocating plungers adapted to be raised topass over said extended part of said circular chamber and lowered toexpel said material from said cups into cans 18. A can filling machinehaving a central shaft, turrets having telescoping cups, meansassociated with said shaft for regulating the capacity of said cups, ahopper for material to be deposited into cans, said hopper having acircular bottom chamber extending in part over a plurality of said opentop cups, said extended part having a cover, means rotating in saidcircular chamber for wiping material from said hopper into said cups,and reciprocating plungers adapted to be raised to pass over saidextended part of said circular chamber and lowered to expel saidmaterial from said cups into cans.

19. A can filling machine having a'-centra1 shaft, turrets havingtelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating theca-'- pacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited intobans, said hopper having a circular bottom chamber extending in partover a plurality of said open top cups, sa'id extended part having acover, blades rotating in said circular chamber for wiping material fromsaid hopper into said cups, and reciprocating plungers adapted to beraised to pass over said extended part of said circular chamber andlowered to expel said material from said cups into cans.

20. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets havingtelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating thecapacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans,said hopper having'a circular bottom chamber extending in part over apinrality of said open top cups, said extended part having a cover,blades rotating in opposite directions in said circular chamber forwiping material from said hopper into said cups, and reciprocatingplungers adapted to be raised to pass over said extended part of saidcircular chamber and lowered to expel said material from said cups intocans.

21. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets havingtelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating thecapacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans,said hopper having a circular bottom chamber extending in part over aplurality of said open top cups, said extended part having a cover,reciprocating plungers adapted to be raised to pass over said extendedpart of said circular chamber and lowered to expel said material fromsaid cups into cans, and means for keeping said plungers aligned withtheir respective cups.

shaft, turrets having telescoping cups, means as-.

sociated with said shaft for regulating the'capacity of said cups, ahopper for material to be deposited into cans, said hopper having acircular bottom chamber extending in part over a plurality of said opentop cups, said extended part having a cover, means rotating in saidcircular chamber for wiping material from said hopper into said cans,reciprocating plungers. adapted to be raised to pass oversaid extendedpart of said circular chamber and lowered to expel said materiali'rom'said cups into cans, and means for keeping said plungers alignedwith their respective cups.

23. A can filling machine having a central shaft; turrets havingtelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating thecapacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans,said hopper having a ciricular bottom chamber extending in part over aplurality of said open top cups, said extended part having a cover,blades rotating'at diiferent speeds in said circular chamber for wipingmaterial from said hopper into said cups, and reciprocating plungersadapted to be raised to pass over said extended part of said circularchamber and lowered to expel said material from said cups into cans.

24. A can filling machine having a central shaft, turrets havingtelescoping cups, means associated with said shaft for regulating thecapacity of said cups, a hopper for material to be deposited into cans,said hopper having a circular bottom chamber extending in part over aplurality of said open top cups, said extended part having a cover,blades rotating in opposite directions and at different speeds in saidcircular chamber for wiping material from said hopper into said cups,and reciprocating plungers adapted to beraised to pass over saidextended part of said circular chamber and lowered to expel saidmaterial from said cups into cans.

25. A; can filling machine comprising a turret having a plurality ofopen top measuring cups, a hopper having a part extending over aplurality of said cups for taking charges of material to be deposited incans, plungers adapted to eject the material from said cups, and to passover said extended part when said cups are being filled, and means forkeeping said plungers 27. A can filling machine comprising a turrethaving a plurality of open top measuring cups, a hopper having a partextending over a plu-v rality of said cups for taking charges ofmaterial to be deposited in cans, plungers adapted to eject the materialfrom said cups, and to pass over said extended part when said cups arebeing filled, said plungers each having a sleeve slidably mounted on arod,' and a bracket fixed on said sleeve and slidably mounted on anotherrod for keeping the plungers aligned with their respective cups.

28. In a can filling machine having a turret with adjustable measuringcups and means for revolving same, a stationary hopper having a circularbottom chamber extending over a plurality of said cups, blades in saidcircular chamber for wiping material into said cups, and gear mechanismdriven by said turret revolving means for driving said blades inopposite directions.

29. In a can filling machine having a turret with adjustable measuringcups and means for revolving same, a stationary hopper having a circularbottom chamber extending over a plurality of said cups, blades in saidcircular chamber for wiping material into said cups, and gear mechanismdriven by said turret revolving meansv for driving said blades inopposite directions, said hopper and blades being movable verticallywithturret having open top measuring cups, a stationary circular hoppermember extending in part over a plurality of said cups for filling same,means for ejecting the material from said cups, and a wing extendingoutward from each side of said hopper for covering the cup passing toand the cup passing from said hopper to prevent material from the hopperfrom overflowing said cups.

CHARLES H. AYARS.

